A PROTEST petition was launched this week against Waverley Borough Council’s application to deregister Haslemere’s Wey Hill Fairground as common land and introduce pay-and-display parking

The petition, launched last week by Aine Hall (see Letters Page), had gathered more than 500 signtaures in a matter of days.

Residents will also have an opportunity to make their views known to Haslemere Town Council at a public meeting called by the council, to be held at Haslemere Hall, at 7.30pm, on Monday, July 9.

Objectors fear if the land is deregistered it can be used “for any purpose without being in the interests of the neighbourhood”.

Protestors claim the application is not required in order to make it pay and display, and it has cost taxpayers £4,900 already.

The petition states: ‘In its Local Plan Part Two: Site allocations and development management policies, Waverley Borough Council states it is seeking to deregister this site as common land and temporarily resurface it, with a mixed-use redevelopment of the site, including around 50 flats, likely to come forward later in the plan.

“The council makes no specific mention of the 50 flats in its Section 16 application, dated June 14, 2018, to deregister the land.”

The town council agreed when approving its responses to Waverley’s consultation on its Local Plan site allocations, at its planning meeting last Thursday, that the response could change following the public meeting.

The town council’s initial response seeks assurances that deregistration of the common land only takes place if it is essential in order to make improvements as a car park.

It also demands that retailers in Wey Hill will be issued with free allday parking permits in the shoppers’ section of the car park, and that shoppers will be able to park for up to four hours at no charge.

Finally, it wants it formalised that the car park would not restrict housing/retail development in the future.

Objecting to the application at last week’s meeting, councillor Sahran Abeysundara said the area of land at Sun Brow proposed as a suitable swop for the loss of common land was ‘not appropriate.’

Unconvinced the application was needed, councillor Nikki Barton said: “Waverley continues to pull the wool over our eyes.

“It has submitted an application for deregistration on the grounds it has to, but it doesn’t. That’s a scandal.”

Councillor Jim Edwards, Waverley’s portfolio holder for community development, responded saying: “The car park is full. It’s scruffy. The shoppers bit of it is full of commuters.

“It’s all very well to say its common land, but it’s got potholes and it’s a mess. It will be ready for development when you want to develop it.”

Haslemere Mayor David Round added: “Waverley has made the application, but it’s not a done deal.”

•To view the petition go to: www.change.org and search for ‘Wey Hill Fairground common land.’